Honey, I'm Home

We’re back from our trip to the Outer Banks. There’s good news and bad news. First, the bad: the fishing sucked.

In what should have been one of the best weeks of the year we barely got out, as we were playing tag with the side effects of Maria. When we arrived Monday, the wind was a steady 40+ with gusts to about 57 MPH. Things deteriorated the next two days.

Give you an idea how bad it was, even without landfall; Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands had a mandatory evacuation for visitors.

The good news? Well, that falls into two groups. First, the hotel where we stayed---Comfort Inn on the Ocean---couldn’t have been a better choice. Despite trying times, as they coped with the influx of displaced visitors to the lower islands, everyone, from the housekeepers and maintenance workers to the front desk people always had a radiant smile and a friendly word. Special kudos go to Leslie and Lynsi, but that’s only because we interacted with them more than others. The fact is, the whole staff justly deserves high praise.

The room itself was large, spacious, and had a balcony overlooking the ocean. Although an older building, you’d only know it from the architectural style. None of the shabbiness you often find in older hotels. Instead, it is well maintained and modern in all respects. I’d recommend it to anyone.

Second, the food. Coastal North Carolina is seafood central, and we took full advantage of it. All the standard preparations are available everywhere, along with some really special dishes. Of course, the season on them being in, they had Barbara at “soft-shell crab.” In fact, we hadn’t even checked-in to the hotel, but stopped first for lunch at Henry’s, where she had her first softie in too long a while.

Far and away, the most creative dish we tried was Jolly’s Delight, at the Jolly Roger. This consisted of a lump crab cake on a smoked Gouda grits cake, with a Cajun bacon cream sauce. A beautiful dish to look at, and even better to eat.

Also at Jolly Roger was the best modern she-crab soup I’ve ever eaten. I stress “modern” because I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy classic she-crab, which is a bisque that includes crab roe. It is no longer legal to keep female crabs with an egg mass, so the original can no longer be made. But Jolly Roger’s version comes close.

You wouldn’t think there was anything new in the way of oysters. But we found one at Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar. Oysters Arthur are on broiled on the half shell with bacon, cocktail sauce, and Parmesan. I probably could have eaten several dozen of them, but the main meal was calling. This time it was fried grouper, which I ordered only because grouper is cost prohibitive at home. Last time I looked it was something like $19/pound

As everyone on the boards knows, I’m a shrimp & grits freak. Had to have at least one version. Carolina Shrimp & Grits, as prepared at Barefoot Bernie’s, is a little different, consisting of the shrimp-covered grits with andouille sausage and red-eye gravy.

Of course, we didn’t skimp on standards. At Miller’s Seafood Restaurant, for instance, I went with crab cakes (how could I not) while Barbara enjoyed broiled sea trout. That’s a fish we never see at all, at home, at any price. A shame, really, because it’s a great tasting one.

Interestingly, when I grew up, they were called “weakfish,” because their mouths are so soft it was easy to break off. Haven’t heard that term in years, and they’re now identified by which of the two species they are: gray sea trout, and speckled sea trout---which is the one most sought after for the table.

So, while the fishing was a disappointment, the food made up for it.

Just getting away for awhile rejuvenates, Mike. So, yeah, while the fishing was a disappointment it was a good trip overall.

And talk about inspiration. I've definitely got the Jolly's Delight and Arthur's oysters on my to-do list. Neither of them seem particularly difficult.

I know that you were looking forward to the fishing, Brook; but it does sound like you had a very nice culinary tour of the region. That Jolly Roger sounds like something that needs further attention, in my opinion.

It is good to have you back, my friend -